Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Manuel Lettenbichler has claimed a commanding victory at the 2026 Red Bull Romaniacs to equal the all-time record of seven wins in the world’s toughest Hard Enduro Rally. Delivering a masterclass aboard his KTM 300 EXC, the German controlled the race from the opening offroad stage to the finish, eventually sealing the overall win in Romania by more than one hour.
The week began with the spectacular city-centre Prologue in Sibiu, where Lettenbichler topped qualifying before finishing third in the multi-lap final. Mani then hit the mountain stages in style, winning Offroad Day 1 by almost eight minutes to move into the overall lead. Another commanding victory on Offroad Day 2 extended the German's advantage to over 19 minutes. Despite narrowly missing out on the Offroad Day 3 win by less than one minute after an intense battle, Mani comfortably retained his race lead heading into the final day.
Lettenbichler sealed the victory in emphatic fashion on Offroad Day 4, dominating the final stage by 44 minutes. The result secured the overall win by one hour and three minutes, completing one of the most commanding performances in Red Bull Romaniacs history. The triumph marks Mani's seventh career victory at the event, equalling the all-time record, while also extending his remarkable run to four consecutive Red Bull Romaniacs wins.
Following another landmark success, Lettenbichler now turns his attention back to the 2026 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship, with round four, Forza Orza in Sweden, taking place on August 20-22.
Manuel Lettenbichler: “It’s honestly hard to put into words. Riding through the final grass fields, I was just thinking about how far my career has come. To win Red Bull Romaniacs for the seventh time is something I never expected, and it’s an unreal feeling. Every victory here takes so much hard work and preparation, so this one is really special. I really enjoyed the riding this week. There were some incredibly tough sections, but I was able to ride my own race, especially on the final day, and really enjoy it. Crossing the finish line is always an amazing feeling, and one of the best parts of Romaniacs is sharing the experience with so many riders from all over the world. Everyone goes through the same challenges out there, and that makes this event really unique.”
Provisional Results – 2026 Red Bull Romaniacs
1. Manuel Lettenbichler (GER), KTM, 22:14:41
2. Teodor Kabakchiev (BUL), Sherco, 23:18:08 +1:03:27
3. James Moore (RSA), Beta, 24:35:03 +2:20:22
4. Matt Green (RSA), KTM, 25:04:59 +2:50:18
5. Mitch Brightmore (GBR), GASGAS, 25:07:58 +2:53:17